WeeklySA_AdminCRACKDOWN: Intercepted individuals were fingerprinted and banned for re-entering the country for a period of five years…
By Lehlohonolo Lehana
The Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber says the Border Management Authority (BMA) has recorded an increase in the successful prevention of illegal border crossings during the 2024/2025 festive season.
Schreiber was joined by the Commissioner of the Border Management Authority Michael Masiapato at the media briefing in Pretoria. BMA conducted 237 joint law enforcement operations, conducted 3 252 vehicle patrols, 4 477 foot patrols and raided about 1 115 hotspot areas within the border law enforcement areas. During these operations, the border guards detected and apprehended about 58 394 individuals who were attempting to enter South Africa illegally.
Schreiber said the 2024/2025 festive season marked a turning point in the Border Management Authority’s quest to improve the operations of South Africa’s ports of entry. “Following the long lead time in setting up a new institution, the past festive season presented the biggest test of the BMA’s ability to act as the single command-and-control structure to improve the management of all border crossings.”
He says in previous years, festive season operations were characterised by fragmentation, lack of coordination, and the inability to adjust quickly to changing circumstances on the ground.
“Thanks to the work done to transform the BMA from an organisation that existed only on paper to one whose impact can be felt on the ground, I am happy to report that the BMA has passed the test presented by the 2024/2025 festive season.”
According to Masiapato, the current number of undocumented foreign nationals blocked from entering the country is more than double the number of interceptions compared to the 27 005 of the 2023/2024 festive period.
“This increase in interception can be attributed to the deployment of drones which we borrowed from the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development. Of the 58 394 intercepted individuals… 50 312 were undocumented (no documents at all), 6 159 undesirables (found to have overstayed in the country) and 1 923 inadmissible (invalid passport, fraudulent visas, no yellow fever certificates),” he said. Masiapato said intercepted individuals were fingerprinted and banned for re-entering the country for a period of five years.
“Incrementally, the BMA has managed to stop and deport a total of 468 000 individuals who attempted to enter South Africa illegally since July 2022 following the deployment of the first contingent of border guards. Working with members of the police, the border guards arrested about 322 travellers for various types of crimes such as possession of stolen vehicles, possession of contraband, drugs and illicit goods including ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
“Of the 322 arrested individuals, 132 of them were already wanted suspects for having committed various types of crimes in South Africa. In this festive period, about 19 vehicles, two taxis, one truck and two trailers were intercepted and stopped from being smuggled out of the country. The intercepted vehicles were handed over to SAPS detectives for further investigations. Incrementally, the BMA has managed to stop a total of 331 vehicles from being smuggled out of South Africa from July 2022 to date,” he said.
Furthermore, Masiapato said illicit cigarettes to the value of R690 million were confiscated.
Other items included R470 000 worth of cannabis sticks, second-hand clothing, a diamond detector machine, sexual enhancement products and other dangerous weapons.
“Of serious concern is the interception of 28 fraudulent passports that were being used to impersonate South Africans as people move in and out of South Africa, this included the interception of nine fraudulent visas,” he said.
Schreiber said the past festive season presented the biggest test to date of the BMA’s ability to act as the single command-and-control structure to improve the management of all border crossings.
“Thanks to the focus on coordination, technology and collaboration by the BMA, the number of attempted illegal border crossings by undocumented persons that were successfully prevented increased by 215% this past festive season. The use of drones at just five ports of entry on a pilot basis made an immediate and visible impact. The Minister says the use of drones at just five ports of entry on a pilot basis made an immediate and visible impact.
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development generously assisted with the deployment of drones at Beitbridge, Maseru Bridge, Lebombo, Kopfontein and Oshoek. 42 pilots were assigned and effectively operated those drones across the five ports of entry. Furthermore, the drones led to 2 326 breaches in the border fence being identified and sealed. Schreiber says this is clear evidence of the impact this technology can have in improving border management, and work must continue to make this a permanent tool in the arsenal of the BMA.
During the 2024/25 festive season, the BMA successfully managed the movement of 5 084 251 travellers – an increase of over 51 000 compared to the previous year. This included the processing of 395 189 private vehicles, 12 974 mini-bus taxis, 6 071 buses, and 58 938 trucks for import and export. Additionally, 9 491 aircraft and 660 vessels were processed.
These movements were generally efficient, with 66% of imports and 74% of exports cleared within 30 minutes – although this is an area that can be improved upon through automated procedures.
This included the processing of 395 189 private vehicles, 12 974 mini-bus taxis, 6 071 buses, and 58 938 trucks for import and export. Additionally, 9 491 aircraft and 660 vessels were processed.
Mirror Briefs
BLOW FOR MK PARTY
The Johannesburg High Court has dismissed the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party’s bid to invalidate the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)’s use of the term “Government of National Unity” (GNU) with costs.
The court ruled on Friday that it lacked the jurisdiction to bar the public broadcaster from using the term. “This is not a constitutional matter, and it is not one where the court has jurisdiction. Furthermore, the CEO simply does not have the power which the applicants seek to invoke,” Judge Denise Carol Fisher wrote in her electronic judgement. The party, led by former president Jacob Zuma, clashed with the SABC’s lawyers in the Johannesburg High Court on Monday, accusing the broadcaster of misleading the country by using the term.
‘’The challenges are so obviously without foundation that it is difficult to accept that they have been brought to further any real interest either of the applicants or more generally,” Fisher said. Adv. Dali Mpofu, representing the MK party, argued that the use of the term GNU was incorrect because parties such as the EFF and the MK party had been excluded from government.
The SABC’s lawyer, Adv.Terry Motau, told the court that the broadcaster had not broken any editorial rules by referring to the current government as a GNU. The MK party had failed to use existing structures in the SABC to voice its complaint. – Fullview
PLEA FOR PEACE IN DRC
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders have strongly condemned the ongoing violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where recent clashes have left soldiers dead and displaced thousands of civilians.
The Heads of State and Government also reaffirmed their commitment to restoring peace and stability in the region. The SADC leaders convened an Extraordinary Summit in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Friday which was chaired by the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Chairperson of SADC, Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.
The summit brought together regional leaders, including President Cyril Ramaphosa and Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The summit acknowledged that despite previous peacekeeping efforts, the security situation remains dire. SADC troops deployed under the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) had come under repeated attacks, undermining the 2024 Luanda ceasefire agreement.
“The summit condemned in the strongest terms the attacks on the SAMIDRC troops by the M23 operating in the Eastern DRC,” the leaders said in a joint communique issued at the conclusion of the summit. The latest wave of violence has led to casualties among SADC peacekeepers, including 13 from the South African National Defence Force. In a solemn moment, leaders paid tribute to the fallen soldiers from Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania, vowing to ensure their sacrifices would not be in vain. – SAnews
GEORGE BUILDING REPORT
Premier Alan Winde has officially handed over the report containing the structural engineering findings from the independent investigation commissioned by the Western Cape Government, into the May 6, 2024 George building collapse to Western Cape Police Services. Thirty-four people died and many others were injured when the building, still under construction, collapsed and buried most of the workers under the rubble. Twenty-eight people were rescued alive but many suffered severe, lifechanging injuries.
In a statement issued by the office of the premier, Winde said it is entirely possible that criminal proceedings may ensue. “It is for this reason that the findings of the independent probe cannot be made public, so that we do not in any way compromise the SAPS investigation and further possible proceedings.” Winde said at the same time that the multi-stakeholder operation was underway, the provincial government secured the services of an independent structural engineering firm to conduct an investigation of the collapse site, simultaneous to the rescue operation.
“It is the full, final report of this firm, which was peer-reviewed, to ensure its integrity, that has now been handed over to SAPS.” The findings that stem from the various agencies’ investigations must be consolidated to ensure an overall understanding of what transpired and to ensure that those responsible are held accountable. – Lehlohonolo Lehana.
TRANSNET EXECS ON FRAUD RAP
The case against former Transnet executives Brian Molefe, Anoj Singh, Siyabonga Gama and others has finally been set down for trial in the Johannesburg High Court from February 2, 2026.
Molefe, Gama, and Singh appeared alongside Garry Pita and Phetolo Ramosebudi, Regiments Capital Directors Niven Pillay and Litha Nyhonhya, Trillian Asset Management’s Director, Daniel Roy (Novum Asset Management), Kuben Moodley and Albatime Pty Ltd owner. They are facing charges of contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), fraud, money laundering and corruption. Their charges stem from the locomotives transaction advisory tender awarded to the McKinsey-led consortium in 2012, resulting in the procurement of 1064 locomotives valued at over R54 billion.
It is alleged that Regiments Capital, which benefitted, was irregularly brought into the contract, increasing the contract value and scope to over R395 million. During the proceedings, state prosecutor Santhos Manilall informed Judge Mohamed Ismail that charges against McKinsey and Trillian had been withdrawn, resulting in an amended indictment. He also confirmed that the State would call at least 70 witnesses during the trial. Ismail expressed frustration with the delays, emphasising the need for clear deadlines. “I’m not going to give you an open-ended date, “the judge said. It has been two and a half years and the case has not started.” – Lehlohonolo Lehana.
